Saturday, February 16, 2013

The Comedy Barn Theater: Pigeon Forge, TN

Well, I am going to have to start off by saying that this isn't exactly the review I had planned to give you of the Comedy Barn Theater in Pigeon Forge. I blame my son. My lovely, wonderful, eldest son, who, after not so much as sneezing for the past year, decided that morning 3 of our 4 night vacation would be a perfect time to catch the flu, and throw up everywhere in the tri-county radius of our hotel. 

So, needless to say, we didn't get to use our tickets to The Comedy Barn, and we had to leave our gorgeous hotel and head home a night early. So depressing. But, I couldn't stand to write about our vacation and not even tell you about the Comedy Barn, since we were so very excited to go there. (Tater even cried on the way home about missing out on this!) 

The Comedy Barn is set in a huge red barn on the strip in Pigeon Forge. You can't miss it! 

The Comedy Barn has been rated Pigeon Forge's #1 comedy show for so many years now, that they are THE standard for funny in the Smokies! The thing I was really excited about The Comedy Barn is that they are a family comedy show, so I could feel good about taking my boys there and not have to worry that they were in the wrong kinda place. 


The Comedy Barn is rated in the TOP TEN of all things to do in Pigeon Forge via Trip Advisor, and Trip Advisor users are tough customers, so you know if they recommend it, it must be good!

The Comedy Barn isn't just about funny.. No, there are dogs, rescue dogs as a matter of fact, that perform in the show. There are jugglers, there are fire breathers, magicians, family stand up comedians, ventriloquists and more! What's not to love about that!? 


The best part about the Comedy Barn? They're open almost every single night, and they're affordable! You can even see The Comedy Barn and one of their "sister shows", either The Hatfield and McCoy Dinner Feud, or the Smoky Mountain Opry for only $64.95. Now that is a great deal! 

I also have heard that the Comedy Barn does a lot of audience participation acts, and come on, we all know that those are the funniest ever! I know a lot of locals take their family and friends to Comedy Barn when they come to visit since it is such a hit with everyone! 

I am so disappointed that we didn't get the chance to go to the Comedy Barn this time around, but we are putting it at the top of our list for our visit in the Fall. We are hitting it first next time, before anyone has a chance to ruin it with their sicknesses LOL! 

If you would like to check out the Comedy Barn, you can do so by clicking here. You can also follow them on Facebook and Twitter for latest updates, news and promos! 

Although we did not get to attend, we received complimentary tickets to this attraction in exchange for our honest opinions. As always, all thoughts are our own and not influenced by any outside sources. 

Our Review Of Lumberjack Feud-Pigeon Forge Tn!

Of all the things that we had planned to do on our trip to the Smokies, I have to say that my boys were most excited about Lumberjack Feud. We had read all sorts of different reviews online, and the boys had been watching You Tube videos for weeks before we got to go! They were so pumped! 




Now, there are a ton of shows that you can go see while you are in Pigeon Forge, but really, none of them is quite like Lumberjack Feud!  When you think of a dinner show, you think of singing and dancing and maybe some fireworks, and that is about it.. but that is not what you get at Lumberjack Feud! When you first check in at Lumberjack Feud, you get your picture made with your family. The pictures look awesome and you have the opportunity to look at them and buy them later on during the show. Then you are shown to your seats. The audience is divided up into "Dawson" and "McGraw" families, and you have to root for your family, and against the other side. This makes it so much fun, since you have something to "do" during the show!


Well, the first thing that happens during the show, is your food! YAY! The food at Lumberjack Feud was absolutely delicious  First of all, your food is served in these metal style lunchboxes, just like what the lumberjacks would take their lunches in from home! It is a great choice to serve the food this way, since it makes it convenient to eat and not so messy! The food itself? Can you say delicious!? I could not even finish half of it (and I am not ashamed to say that I tried!!), the portions were just that big! Okay, listen to what you get: A GIANT mesquite baked chicken breast, AND a huge piece of pork loin, with cornbread dressing... AND green beans...AND the BEST macaroni and cheese I have ever eaten. Oh yes, and don't forget the delicious rolls and berry cobbler for dessert! And, the best sweet tea in Tennessee! Oh... just thinking about it makes my tummy hurt, even now! I ate soooo much that night, the food was so delicious! 





Anyways, you can take your time eating while you watch the show, which I really like. There is no rush to finish up before the show, you can just relax and enjoy your meal. But, once the show gets started, you are more likely to be yelling and screaming than eating, let me tell you! The Lumberjack Feud show is unlike any dinner show you have ever heard of before!


You are following the Dawson and McGraw families during their "legendary feud". Not only is this a "show", with a storyline and a plot, this is REAL LIVE ACTION! These guys, the lumberjacks, they are not actors. No sir, they are REAL ESPN timber athletes. They are not playing around, they are really doing all of the events! And, the events, wow! There are ten different logging events from log rolling to tree climbing to chainsaw carving. The action literally never stops the entire time, there is no downtime, and there are no breaks for you to get bored! Hang on to your hats, folks! 

What I really loved about the Lumberjack Feud show is that there is something for everyone. There are some super hunky lumberjacks for us ladies who need some eye candy to stay interested in these "manly sports", and the lumberjills are pretty cute for the guys to look at to, or so I hear (more on my son's love interest with a lumberjill in a minute!)... Plus, the timber dogs that do their thing are just amazing! I had no idea dogs could even do those sorts of things LOL! Plus, there are horses (real ones!), and bears (not real ones!), and even songs and dancing, since you have to have that too! The comedy by Ranger Black and Camper Bob was funny, silly, and best of all, family friendly. That is always a big deal to me and I am glad that Lumberjack Feud chooses not to push the envelope and makes sure everyone has a great time! 

I also really learned a lot at Lumberjack Feud. First of all, I had no idea what a Lumberjack really "does", besides look good, LOL.. I have a newfound respect for these guys and the hard work that they do, especially just to entertain folks like us! I also learned a lot about the history of the Smokies, and it was cool to watch the historical footage on the big screens throughout the show to gain some educational background into the real life history of what you were seeing on stage. The highlight of the night however, went to Tater, who got to go down on to the stage and "work" with the Lumberjacks and Lumberjills and oh my goodness, he was thrilled! 

He fell in love with his Lumberjill "Molly McGraw". (Imagine the heartbreak when he later learned this was not her real name!) He is still talking about her weeks later, and he has not stopped asking when we can go back to visit her again! It is adorable! He really loved all of the lumberjack events as well, and he has been full of questions about lumberjacks and all that jazz since we got back home. I am so happy that not only was he entertained during the show, but it sparked some sort of curiosity inside him that has made him want to learn more! So, lumberjack info hunting we will go! 
That's our server! 

I have to say what I really loved about the show, and what kind of surprised me, was the level of audience participation. A ton of the events involve kids from the audience, which gets the audience up and cheering for their team. I really felt like a McGraw during the show, and the whole crowd gets really into it, cheering and yelling for your team, but booing the other guys the whole time. It was a great time, and we have been home for two weeks, and I am still yelling "YoHo!"  all the time, much to the dismay of my husband! After each event, the winning team gives out a "cookie" (a piece cut from the log that actually says Lumberjack Feud on it) to the family member who cheers the loudest, so everyone was hyped up for that too! 

I really think my entire family loved the Lumberjack Feud show, and that is really saying something. It is really rare that we find something that we all enjoy, and not a single person is left in the seat pouting. (This happens often to at least one of us!) But not this time, we were all really into the show, and yelling and cheering for "our" family! 

One other thing I forgot to mention but begs to be mentioned, since there will always be waitress in my blood, is that the wait staff at Lumberjack Feud is amazing! They kept our drinks filled, our tables clear, and, in between Lumberjack events, they were down on the stage helping to set up and clear the stage too! Talk about hard workers! They were some of the friendliest people I have ever met! I emptied out my wallet to tip our waiter, and then my husband went to the ATM to get more cash for the guy! I was just so impressed by the hard work and "teamwork" atmosphere that the whole staff had, it made me really happy as a former waitress! 
my future daughter in law ;) 




I have to say, I think that we have become lifelong fans of Lumberjack Feud and the whole team there! Not only did we have an amazing time, but they really went out of their way to make us feel welcome and make us feel like part of the family! We are heading back to Pigeon Forge in the Summer, and we will be sure to stop back by and see another show at Lumberjack Feud, but until then, we are going to have to enjoy our pictures and memories from last time.. And of course, our updates from Twitter and Facebook too! If you want more info on attending the rowdiest good time dinner show in Pigeon Forge, just click here to go to the Lumberjack Feud site! 

Thanks again to the wonderful staff at Lumberjack Feud for making us feel like family, we can't wait to see you again! YoHo! :) 

We received complimentary passes to attend the Rowdiest Good Time Dinner Show in Pigeon Forge, however, all thoughts and opinions are 100% our own! Yo ho! 

Friday, February 8, 2013

Rubbin' Elbows With The Stars At The Hollywood Wax Museum Pigeon Forge!


I really learned a lot about myself on this vacation. I am horrible at writing directions. Hell, I am even horrible at listening to GPS directions. I have to pee very often, especially when driving. And, while I am not really a huge fan of historically accurate shipwreck museums, I have a real soft spot for aquariums. Another thing that I (apparently) really love? Posing with wax figures! 
As soon as we got to our hotel, and stepped out on the balcony, this is what we saw!
Yep, pretty cool huh? We were looking at this big guy all day, every day! There he was, tempting us with the coolness of his museum! We couldn't wait to see what was inside! I didn't really know much about wax museums, and I had never been before. I knew that the boys would have a good time, but I wasn't sure about me... However, much to my surprise, I am actually a HUGE wax museum fan! 




First of all, let's talk about this building. Have you ever seen anything cooler? I didn't see the previous Hollywood Wax Museum that was here, but I am told that this one is so much bigger, better and cooler! This place is awesome! Fun fact? It's the only wax museum in the entire world dedicated entirely to celebrities! And, if there is one thing I love, it's celebrities! And the Hollywood Wax Museum had all of my favorites! 


Me with hunky Jeff Bridges.. He wasn't feeling it that day. .. 


Love me some RDJ...He was much more receptive of my advances! 
I have always thought that me and Mr. Vin Diesel would make a pretty nice couple... and I was right!

I did take a couple pf pics of my kiddos, who had a good time, but not as much fun as me! 

Anyway, this place is great! So much fun! It is two stories of wax figure fun, and you definitely get your money's worth with your tickets. Plus, if you buy online, you can save $1.00 off of each ticket. You can get the very best deal by buying online and getting tickets to all three of the Hollywood Wax Museum's attractions: The museum, Hannah's Maze of Mirrors and the Castle of Chaos! That way, you save $3.00 off of each ticket! Plus, if you get the VIP ticket, you get a special code, and then you get special access to the third floor platform, and that's where Godzilla is! It is awesome up there! Here's the view: 









Beautiful, huh? So, yeah... you need to visit the Hollywood Wax Museum.. As far as Pigeon Forge attractions go, it's actually pretty darn cheap... Plus, you can take your time, and spend at least a couple of hours there! So much fun! 

Here's some more info if you are interested in tickets: 


Hours
January 1 – March 1
Seven days a week: 9 a.m. to 10 p.m.

*March 2 – May 18
Seven days a week: 9 a.m. to 11 p.m.

May 19 – September 6
Seven days a week: 9 a.m. to Midnight
September 7 – December 20
Sunday – Thursday: 9 a.m. to 11 p.m.
Friday & Saturday: 9 a.m. to Midnight

December 21 – January 1
Seven days a week: 9 a.m. to Midnight
*Open until Midnight during Spring Break

To order your tickets, just click here

We received complimentary tickets to this attraction in exchange for our honest review. As always, all opinions are our own, and not influenced by any outside sources. 

Thursday, February 7, 2013

Our Trip Back In Time With The Titanic Museum Attraction Pigeon Forge

On our trip to TN, we were also lucky enough to get to visit the Titanic Museum Attraction in Pigeon Forge. How could you not want to visit when you see this super cool ship on the side of the road!?!? We could see the Titanic from our wonderful hotel, so that just built up the excitement for when we would be going! My oldest, Tater, who is six and a half, is in love with all things Titanic, so I knew that he was really going to enjoy this! 

When you arrive, each person gets a boarding pass with the name of an actual passenger that was aboard the real ship. Men get men, ladies get ladies, kids get kids. This is a really cool touch, and you can read your boarding pass along the way and get to know "your" passenger. At the end, you get to see if your passenger lived or not on the actual ship. A cool experience to say the least! 


I have to say that if I had to do this tour over, I would not take my two year old. He is usually very chill and laid back, but not this time. He was not in a good mood, so taking him was not the best move. I felt like he really hindered the whole experience for me. My oldest took his time with his listening device, stopping at every single checkpoint and looking at every artifact. It was so nice to see him really enjoying something so educational, and really paying attention, but I wish that I would have gotten to enjoy it along with him, rather than fighting a crabby toddler. 

The tickets are very pricey for an attraction like this, around $30 per person, so be prepared for that. That being said, if this is something that you think your family would enjoy, it is worth the price. Tater had a great time and even my "too cool for museums" hubby liked the artifacts and we both actually learned a lot that we didn't know. For little kids, I have to say that there isn't much, a couple of small interactive things for them to do, and a whole lot of "shhhhhing". 

It is a beautiful facility, but I really didn't like the way the staff and crew kept "price dropping", talking about how much everything in the facility cost. I felt like it was kind of "show-offish" or something, and it sort of put me off a bit. However, the facility is beautiful, and I believe that they spent a ton on it. But, do you really need to talk about it over and over again? Also, they might want to consider staggering their tours, every 20-30 minutes or so. Too many people in one place, all trying to read, some moving slower than others, just doesn't make for a good time. We were there in January... I can't imagine how packed it gets during the warmer months. 

Another thing that you should know before you go, is that you are not going to be able to take pictures or video inside, due to Federal Copyright Laws. I am not really sure why, but that is the rules. However, the staff will take your picture inside before you leave, and then they photoshop the grand staircase behind you. You can purchase that picture when you leave if you want. We didn't purchase ours however. I was a little bit overwhelmed with the number of photo ops and high pressure photo sales in the area, so I didn't feel like buying another $25 picture of my family looking all weird LOL. I probably would have bought it though, if it were taken on the real staircase and not just photoshopped in. 


All in all, the whole experience was nice. We learned a lot, saw some beautiful artifacts and replicas, and got to do something that we would never get to do if we weren't on vacation. For that reason, I would recommend this attraction if you have a family member who is really into Titanic. If you are not "really" a fan, not really interested, or have a small child, it might be best to skip this one! 

We received complimentary tickets to this attraction in exchange for our honest review. As always, our opinions are our own, and not influenced by any outside sources. 

Tuesday, February 5, 2013

Ripley's Marvelous Mirror Maze And Candy Factory: Our Review!

Our next stop on our vacation was Ripley's Marvelous Mirror Maze and Candy Factory! I couldn't wait to check out this, since we had never been to a mirror maze before. This one looked like so much fun! When we got to the mirror maze, it was (still) a torrential, flooding mess in downtown Gatlinburg, but on a better note, we were the only people in the whole maze, which was great! I tried to get some great pics while we were there, but between the rain outside and the flash on my camera being messed up, I didn't get any :( I borrowed some pictures from Ripley's site though, so you guys can see! 

You would think that this should be easy, I mean, it's the middle of the day and no one else is around, right? Wrong! It's actually hard to get through this thing! It was so much fun! We had a great time trying to figure out how to get out of there! Bean was a bit freaked out by the end, I think he was just ready to get the heck out of there! I will say that it didn't take very long to get out, but that is okay with me.. I think any longer and my kiddos would have been freaked out LOL! 

The best part of this attraction? You can come back all day long and go through the maze again once you have paid! That is great! The maze is right on the main strip of town, so go through, go eat some lunch, come back again, go shop a little bit, come back again! And, they are open til MIDNIGHT! So, even if you go around lunchtime, you can always bring your kiddos back the same day for a little more fun before bedtime! It's great! And don't forget the candy shop when you get done! They have every kind of candy you can think of, and definitely something for everyone! Love it! Make sure you check out Ripley's Marvelous Mirror Maze and Candy Factory when you're in town! 

Here's some extra info: 


Traffic Light #6
623 Parkway
Gatlinburg, TN 37738
Phone: 865-430-1834
Toll-Free: 877-475-3974
Email: gatlinburg@ripleys.com

Hours & Pricing
Adult & Child (12 & up) $9.99
Children (3-11) $7.99
Children 2 & under are free
Group Pricing available
Open daily 10am-midnight

Check it out, ya know ya wanna! 

We received complimentary tickets to this attraction in exchange for our honest review. As always, all opinions are our own and not influenced by any other sources. 

Monday, February 4, 2013

Our Trip To Ripley's Believe It Or Not Odditorium


It had already been decided way before we ever went to the Smoky Mountains, what everyone's favorite part was going to be. For my sister, the mountains. My hubby, the hot tub. Me, the dinner shows. Baby Bean, the aquarium. And for my dear Tater? Ripley's Believe It Or Not Odditorium. Tater has been a Ripley's fan for about a year now, and has been intent on collecting all of the Ripley's Believe It Or Not books, since he got one for Christmas last year. My days are spent looking at all of the "creepy cool" stuff with him, and saying "I don't know" over and over again when he asks "how do they do that!?" So, there was no doubt in my mind how much he would love Ripley's Believe It Or Not Museum. 

Boy, were we ever right!!! After a trek through a gigantic flood, we finally arrived at Ripley's and we were all so excited! This place is really awesome, I am not kidding! I wasn't sure that I would be into it, but it really did have something for everyone! Yes there is a lot of "weird", "creepy" and "gross", but there is also a lot of interesting, exciting, and cool! There was so much cool stuff! We easily spent two hours here, and probably could have even hung out longer! 

It was a great time for everyone, and of course, we got our pictures taken in the giant chair! I would have taken more pictures, but honestly, I put my camera in my purse, and then I forgot because I was so entranced in everything there! Tater's very favorite part was the hologram "video" type thing with Mr. Ripley, since he is so obsessed with him! He wanted to stand there for like 30 minutes just listening to the "hologram Mr. Ripley" talking to him! It was so cute! I really liked all of the artwork that was made from different things, like gum wrappers, candy, rubik's cubes, etc.. It was really amazing to see all that detail, and to know that someone took the time to make that! So cool! 
Tater And Daddy In The Giant Chair

Me and Sissy in the giant chair

Beanie being mad during our photoshoot :(

We had a great time at Ripley's Believe It Or Not Odditorium. We are already planning our September trip (hey, we need another vacation to make up for the snow/flooding/puking child that we experienced on this one!), and Tater has already put the Ripley's museum at the top of our list again! So cute! I am happy to take him back again, since I know that he is learning, no matter how weird the stuff is that he is learning about!! If you are on your first trip to Gatlinburg, or your fifty-first trip, you need to stop by Ripley's while your in town! You won't regret it! For more info about Ripley's Odditorium, visit this page!

More info: 

RIPLEY’S BELIEVE IT OR NOT! ODDITORIUM
Hours: 10 am to 11 pm DAILY
Adult (12 & up) — $14.99
Child (3-11) — $7.99
Children 2 & under — FREE

Visit the website to buy tickets or for more info on planning your trip! 

We received complimentary tickets to this attraction in exchange for our honest review. As always, all opinions are our own and not influenced by any outside sources. 

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